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A man was arrested after committing what Calgary police call a hate-motivated assault on the driver of a vehicle in the northeast community of Coral Springs on March 6.
The victim, police say, had been driving his work van in the 5000 block of Falsbridge Gate N.E. at around 4 p.m. when an SUV pulled up behind him at a stop sign.
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The SUV driver began honking and followed the man into a nearby parking lot.
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As the victim stopped his vehicle, the perpetrator began swearing and shouting racial slurs while throwing garbage at the man, who remained inside his parked van.
The suspect then got out of his vehicle and began kicking and punching the victim’s van, police added.
The victim and another occupant of the vehicle remained inside as the man repeatedly punched the glass of the driver’s side window, in what police believe was an attempt to “gain access” to the victim.
The passenger then began filming the interaction, after which the suspect soon returned to his SUV and continued to utter racial slurs. He then drove away.
The passenger was able to get the licence plate of the SUV the man was driving, and once safe reported the incident to police.
Calgary police charged Calgarian Christopher Whitney Macpherson, 39, with one count of assault and one count of mischief — which have been deemed hate-motivated.
Macpherson was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for a previous charge of mischief, which police say is also hate-motivated.
“This assault took place as the victim and his family were going about their day in our city,” said acting Sgt. Matt Messenger of the Calgary police’s Hate Crime Prevention Team.
“Being attacked at random, based solely on the colour of your skin, is absolutely unacceptable and we are committed to ensuring there is no place for hate in Calgary.”
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